Editor’s Diary: Planning A Holiday

In this week’s Editor’s Diary, I’ve been struggling with a strange situation: taking a holiday!

The idea of taking a holiday when we’re all still being advised not to travel is an odd one. Where would we go? What is there to do?

For all of my working life, I have taken a fortnight’s holiday in June.

Over a two-week period, we have a number of family birthdays and an anniversary to celebrate. Taking a good long break at this time of year is the perfect way to mark those occasions.

This year, though, because of the lockdown, I wondered if I should think again.

The booked and much-anticipated trip to the south of France was, of course, out of the question. The nearest I will get to Antibes this year is my photograph from a previous visit!

Might I be better just to save my leave and keep working? There’s certainly plenty to do!

It got me thinking about why we have holidays.

The main purpose, surely, is to have a break from routine. There’s nothing to say we have to travel away from home, enjoyable as that may be. Or eat out, or pack in lots of excursions and day trips.

I realised that, because of the virus crisis and the work needed to set up the “Friend” team to do their jobs from home, I had only had four days off this year. Not really enough to recharge the batteries!

So I am going ahead and taking my fortnight’s holiday as planned. Instead of spending it on the Cote d’Azur, I’ll be at home in Fife, with the Tay instead of the Med to look out on!

I’ve started a wishlist of some of the things I plan to do with my time.

So far it includes having a picnic by the river, walking in a nearby forest, cooking a special French meal from my Rick Stein cook book and reading “The Mirror And The Light” by Hilary Mantel, which I’ve been saving specially.

No doubt the list will grow by the day!

I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.

For more from Angela’s Editor’s Diary, click the tag below.